Warren paused after hearing that. Then, he asked rather seriously, "Rainbow, tell me honestly. Did you only learn a bit about fortune-telling?""Not really." Aria was hesitant to answer. "Well, I'm an idealist, so I wasn't the most attentive student when Mr. Revelare taught me. But I'm definitely a step above the frauds in the market."Warren, a man of logic, had never entertained the idea of fortune-telling. He countered with a name. "But how do you stack up against Mr. Windsor from Panne Street?""I'm better than him." Aria peeled an orange and gave half of it to Warren. "I'm quite familiar with some of his techniques. Don't go to him, Grandpa. If you really want to get your fortune told, the man who visited our hotel is good."A flicker of surprise crossed Warren's face. "Mr. Homer Bond?"Aria nodded, sipping her coffee with an elegance that captivated him. "The very same. He's incredibly knowledgeable. If you'd like, I could arrange a visit."Warren chuckled. "Rainbow, you ne
Aria couldn't shake a feeling of unease. Though the crisis seemed over with Dorothy under investigation by the Special Missions Unit, something felt amiss.Warren's safety remained a top priority. With a mole lurking internally, vigilance was key.Zayn's head snapped up at her words. "Miss, you mean…""I haven't said a word," Aria replied, her gaze flickering to the black-clad bodyguards nearby. "You've been with Grandpa the longest. Honestly, I investigated you before."Zayn stiffened.Aria's voice dropped to a low murmur. "News always leaks whenever Grandpa wants to see me. There's a disloyal element in his inner circle.""Yes. Mr. Carver Senior is also looking into this," Zayn replied.Aria's eyes darkened. "Grandpa's sentimentality might blind him to those who've endured hardships with him. Zayn, your mission is simple. Protect Grandpa."A shiver ran down Zayn's spine. He understood the weight of her words. "Don't worry, miss. I won't fail.""You're the only one privy to t
There was a bakery near the company. Aria lugged a hefty bag of bread while observing the beggar. "Go on. Eat.""I-I can't eat anymore! Hic!" The beggar leaned against the wall, his mouth stuffed with bread that made him hiccup. He wasn't sure what Aria had put in it.On top of that, he couldn't stop laughing. "Hahaha! I'll tell you everything! I… Hic!""I don't feel like listening anymore." Aria handed him another piece of bread. "You should eat. It's not healthy to starve."The beggar felt like he might explode. "I… Hic! I was wrong! Y-Young lady, I…"Finally, Aria reached out and removed the needles from his body.The beggar slumped into the corner, gasping for air and sweating profusely.Aria's voice was indifferent. "I'm not a patient person, so don't beat around the bush. Speak.""I swear, I have no clue who gave me the box! I was lying down at the time and didn't see who it was. The person just told me to deliver it to Carver Group and offered me a thousand dollars." The
"The thousand dollars is just a deposit," Aria said, her eyes piercing and dark as a demon's. "You'll get the rest once you spread the word. You didn't think I'd believe everything you said, right? Rhabdomancy isn't widely understood.""I…I…" the beggar stammered, beads of sweat erupting on his forehead.This wasn't going according to plan. He'd figured even a sharp woman like her wouldn't see through his entire scheme. But here she was, right on the money.Aria raised an eyebrow, the mole beneath her eye a striking counterpoint to her composed expression. "I'll give you one last chance. Who put you up to this with the wooden box?""I don't know. The person wore a black coat and looked scary. Although the person used a voice changer, I could tell she was a woman. That's right. Just a… I'm guilty." There was something off with the beggar.Aria immediately reached out to check his arm.The beggar's expression. "God will definitely punish me. I've committed an unforgivable sin." H
The employees turned their gazes away from the mysterious box to focus on the stunning woman in their midst. Aria had a captivating figure, slender legs, and a radiant smile."It's indeed ominous." Aria handed the rhabdomancy sticks to Keith.Keith was fuming when he saw what was written on the sticks. "This is a hoax!"There was no way Aria was a jinx. Since her return, she had saved the company hotel and even improved the layout of the Carver residence. Plus, Warren would likely be in the ICU if it weren't for Aria. She had saved him multiple times.She had also rescued Jeffrey from the cellar. So, Keith was baffled by the message on the rhabdomancy sticks.Keith turned to his men. "Investigate where these rhabdomancy sticks came from!"Aria tucked the wooden box away. "I can handle the investigation. Mr. Watson, you just need to protect Grandpa.""Don't worry about the prediction. In the past decade, the best thing that happened to Mr. Carver Senior was having you back." Keit
In the past, Warren would never utter such heartwarming words. However, Aria's return had prompted a change in his approach. He'd become rather soft-hearted, openly expressing his concerns—the fear of his grandsons being harmed gnawed at him.Despite being over the phone, all the grandsons could feel Warren's deep affection for them.Celebrity Carver: "Grandpa, I'm currently filming a variety show in the suburbs. I'll head back once I'm done with the filming."Right after Leon finished texting, the director ordered them to keep their phones away.Thus, he missed out on the message Percy sent. "If you have too many haters, I can sue them for you."Leon was stubborn and disliked relying on family. Being a top celebrity meant having many fans as well as haters. Anything he did would be magnified.Just as Leon stood up, Clary introduced a new face. "This is your new assistant, Evelyn Charters.""My new assistant?" Leon's warmth was only reserved for family. On set, his demeanor and
High-definition drones buzzed discreetly overhead in the suburban filming location.What was supposed to be a simple costume fitting and walk-through turned out to be the start of the actual filming.The country's hottest variety show, "Survival of the Fittest", had captivated audiences since its debut season. Its blend of grounded, bizarre content had sparked endless online discussions. Naturally, news of its second season went viral.This season, the show broke from tradition by beginning filming immediately after notifying the celebrities, aiming to capture pure, unscripted moments.Leon, having just finished his shot, was about to head out when a voice called, "Mr. Carver, hold on a minute. Here's your mission card."Leon's eyebrows shot up. His striking blue hair accentuated his already captivating features on camera. The on-set director simply nodded.As Leon reached for the card, a line of real-time subtitles materialized on the screen. "Congratulations, you've been chosen
"I'd like to see if Leon will be as arrogant as he is now during the mission," a viewer commented.One of the biggest draws of "Survival of the Fittest" was its missions. Participants had to choose a non-celebrity partner to complete challenges in locations like ancient castles or schools. Each area had a backstory that participants had to unravel.The first location remained a mystery, and the participants would find out simultaneously with the audience, which made it extra exciting."I can't wait to see how the participants react!" someone commented."Who will be this season's MVP?" another asked.As online buzz grew, concerns surfaced. Lulu, a highly popular star for the past two years, was anxious. Recently hospitalized due to poor health, the "Survival of the Fittest" crew advised her to recover and return for the next season. However, Lulu was determined to participate and eager to dispel rumors. She could not let the world know she had been pregnant. Lulu clenched her f
Aria had once told Sam to avoid chaos if he could—but she'd also said that when desperation knocked, rules could bend.Now was one of those moments.Sam hesitated only briefly before diving in.He had to know who was behind this. Who kept targeting Aria? Who was pulling the strings in the dark? And once Sam decided on something, there was no turning back.Without Aria by his side, he breached the system, knowing full well the other side had already alerted the police.The firewall he faced wasn't just tough—it was nearly impenetrable. It filtered everything, controlling access with surgical precision. But Sam wasn't interested in the broader network. He narrowed his focus and cut straight to the source, filtering out all the noise to lock onto the actual IP.The auction raged on aboveground. The man behind the screen, confident in his usual routine, remained calm and unaware that the mask he'd worn for years was finally slipping. He'd always stayed out of sight, appearing only
While Aria discreetly signaled to move, the auction hall was buzzing with excitement. Laughter echoed, wine glasses clinked, and the room pulsed with greed.Sasha's voice came through the mic, smooth and cheerful. "While everyone's enjoying themselves, let's welcome our latest arrival of the evening."She glanced at the man beside her—her bodyguard—who immediately stiffened under her gaze.To the crowd, it looked like he was escorting Aria to the stage under control. In truth, Aria's hand was already pressed lightly against his chest, right over a poisoned pressure point. He knew better than to resist—he'd seen what she was capable of.And she'd made her warning crystal clear—if she was exposed or captured, he wouldn't live to see morning.The guests didn't notice a thing. All eyes were on Aria, their expressions hungry. They saw value in her—fresh, young, healthy. To them, she wasn't a person. She was premium merchandise.She was brought to stand beside a young woman who had alr
Eamon and Waymond had just been thrown out of the Chamber of Commerce. Waymond's face was flushed with fury, his eyes red. "Eamon, why didn't you let me speak earlier? Mr. Lincoln was being unreasonable!"Eamon, ever perceptive, shook his head. "Mr. Lincoln's been bribed. He was never going to take our side."Wise and strategic, Eamon had always been top of his class—but now, he was even sharper when it came to reading a room."I'm guessing Aria found something during her investigation that made them nervous," he continued. "Durand couldn't have controlled Lincoln on his own. There's more to it."Waymond frowned, still struggling to piece things together. "But who could bribe Mr. Lincoln? Not even the mayor has that kind of sway. He's—""What if it's someone from the state?" Eamon cut in, eyes flicking back toward the building. "We need to tell Dad. There's no point in staying here, but there is someone we can talk to.""Who?" Waymond asked quickly. "Lucas Murray—the new secr
Durand's expression darkened; Eamon was right. Amos and the official from the state had originally wanted to work with the Grishams, especially Eamon. That was why they used the Fitzroys as a bridge to approach him. Unfortunately, Magdalene had failed to establish any rapport with the Grishams.Instead, she kept criticizing Eamon, claiming he followed Laura's every word, and insisted they had plenty of ways to manipulate the Grishams. In the end, the divorce erupted into a scandal, and the entire Fitzroy family was imprisoned.Ironically, Eamon's actions only impressed the state official more. Durand had even heard Amos say that their leader hoped Eamon would continue working with them as his involvement would ensure their plans progressed smoothly.That knowledge burned Durand with frustration. No matter what he did, he could never measure up to Eamon."It looks like you still haven't grasped the situation, Mr. Grishman. Mr. Grisham Senior has begged everyone, but where did it le
"I'm happy to take over the Grishams' responsibilities," Durand said.Waymond scoffed coldly. "You're not worthy of it.""Mr. Lincoln, it seems someone's not too happy with you."Durand, dressed like a gentleman as always, adjusted his glasses and replied calmly, "Waymond, you've been in this business long enough to know how things work. The Grishams have gained a lot over the years. It's not up to you to decide whether to hold on to it."Leonardo stood, trying to ease the tension. "There's no point in arguing. Let's settle this the traditional way—with an anonymous vote. Everyone, write down whether you think the Grishams should step down. Let the vote speak for itself. That way, it'll be fair."He instructed someone to bring in a box, paper, and pens. Each member was handed a set. It was more for show than anything else; everyone already knew how the vote would go.Eamon saw right through their performance, his gaze turning cold as he sat silently. The votes were quickly cast an
"Mr. Grisham, how long your niece stays locked up isn't up to us—it depends on the severity of her crime," Durand said. "As a member of the Chamber of Commerce, you should understand how serious the situation she's stirred up really is. Haven't you read any of the online news?"People are now hoping the Grisham family goes bankrupt. They're even demanding that we, the Chamber, investigate this matter ourselves!"His words made those who had previously wanted to side with the Grishams start to hesitate. With the Draycotts and Fitzroys already doomed, the Grishams had seemed like the next best option. But no one had expected Aria to make such a critical mistake.Public sentiment had turned sharply. The Chamber of Commerce was now being blamed for enabling an economic disaster. What angered the public most was Aria's carefully crafted image. If she'd shown her true colors from the start, they might have ignored her. But pretending to be righteous, only to betray the common people—that w
Dave smiled, clearly enjoying the desperation on Lewis' face. "Also, you won't be getting any more orders. Your supervisor is going to help us delete every report you've ever submitted. What a shame, Lewis. You risked your life on the front lines, only for someone else to reap the rewards behind your back. If I were you, I'd stop being so loyal. Wouldn't it be better to join us?"He was trying to manipulate Lewis, planting doubt and betrayal like poison. As Aria listened, her fists clenched slowly. Nothing crushed a person's spirit more than destroying their belief in what they stood for. They had exposed Lewis on purpose—to break his faith in the uniform he wore.The masked clients settled back into their seats, returning to their arrogant ease. They were reminded that they were above the law within these walls. No one from the outside could enter the premises, and if someone did, they wouldn't leave intact.These people had powerful connections. To them, the undercover cop was a
Aside from Aria, who had initially refused the food, everything had seemed normal to Stephanie. After all, Aria eventually accepted a drink, and nothing else appeared out of the ordinary.But the more Stephanie thought about it, the deeper her frown became. A sense of unease crept in, and she instinctively lowered her microphone, ready to rush to the basement to check things for herself. Seeing her reaction, the wealthy clients began to panic.The woman in the fox mask stood up, clutching her bag tightly, and made for the exit. She feared she would actually be arrested if she stayed any longer. She had no intention of ending up in jail just for attending an auction, especially one like this. Most importantly, she couldn't afford to have her reputation tarnished.Like her, the rest of the crowd shared the same instinct—flee.Meanwhile, Aria narrowed her eyes as she subdued a bodyguard with one hand. She maintained firm but measured pressure with her left hand, ready to act the moment
When Sasha heard the man mention the rare gem, her eyes narrowed slightly. Very few people knew about it. Only Dave and a handful of higher-ups were aware. She immediately wondered who had leaked the news.But the man's words had already ignited excitement across the auction floor."What? A rare gem?""It's been ages since we've seen one! I can't believe there's actually one today!"To these people, a rare gem referred to someone whose body was considered exceptionally valuable, blessed with natural fortune, vitality, and unmatched physical condition. It was believed that such a person couldn't fully harness the luck they were born with. But if someone else could acquire it...Not only could they preserve their youth and beauty, but their careers and fortunes could be transformed. The idea sent a thrill through the room, and their greed quickly became impossible to hide.Sasha realized the situation was slipping out of her control. She reached for her communicator to contact Dave,